CONCORD analysis of Communication on the

Global EU response to COVID-19

Adopted on 8 April, the Communication on the Global EU response to Covid-19 sets out how

the EU (‘Team Europe’) will address the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic and

the immediate health and socio-economic needs of the most vulnerable countries and

people globally. It represents an attempt to assert European leadership in the global

response to the crisis.

The Communication spells out a number of positive initiatives that respond to the

pandemic, such as the recognition of solidarity as a guiding principle, the commitment to

multilateralism and international cooperation, the endorsement of "good governance,

human rights, the rule of law, gender equality and non-discrimination, decent working

conditions, as well as fundamental values and humanitarian principles”, a commitment to

work with and to support partner countries to achieve a prosperous and sustainable future

for the people and the planet in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,

the Paris Agreement, and the European Green Deal.

However, the EU’s global response is guided by the fact that it is deemed to be in the EU's

‘strategic interests’ to support partner countries. This approach is highly regrettable. The EU

should rather be guided by the principle of solidarity. And with that in mind, the EU should

target its support where it is needed most with a special focus on least developed countries

to ensure the most marginalised people and countries are not left behind.

While the Communication does include references to the most marginalised and excluded

people, including children, refugees, migrants, internally displaced persons, persons with

disabilities, and women and girls, it lacks a focus on the devastating social impact of the

current health crisis on these groups. It fails to say that the EU will systematically prioritise

these people in its response and the kinds of measures it will adopt to reach them. The

Communication does not, therefore, live up to the ‘leave no one behind’ principle of the

2030 Agenda.

CONCORD Europe urges the EU to take a true people-centered approach that addresses the

immediate and future concerns of individuals. These concerns stem from the massive

inequalities that have been allowed to grow over the past few decades and that are now

worsening due to the secondary effects of the COVID-19 crisis. In response to the crisis, the

EU should support targeted and sustained action to increase investment in human

development, so as to reduce inequalities between people and build resilient societies.

The crisis has made extreme global inequalities even more visible. CONCORD Europe

acknowledges that the proposed measures consist of a solid three-fold approach to the

emergency response: strengthening the health, water, sanitation systems; boosting

research capacities; and addressing the social and economic consequences of COVID-19.

However, we had hoped for more multidimensional and intersectional inequality analysis

of the current situation in each of the three Team Europe priorities. Such an analysis would

have informed an equality-driven EU response to this pandemic.

CONCORD Europe regrets that no new EU funding has been made available to respond to

the pandemic. The promised €15.6 billion will come from within the existing EU budget.

Without fresh funds, there is a risk that the original set of priorities, sectors and projects

that were agreed upon with partner countries, multilateral institutions or global funds will

be replaced by new COVID-19 related measures. These new priorities might be seen as

superseding the original political priorities, either thematically (e.g. climate change or good

governance) or geographically.

Moreover, of the €15.6 billion, only around €3.3 billion will be dedicated to interventions

specifically addressing health challenges in partner countries. While this is a significant

amount, the need in partner countries is tremendous. CONCORD Europe believes that a

strong and effective EU response should prioritise measures that strengthen health

systems by ensuring universal access to quality health services, as well as focusing on global

health research and development.

With regard to Team Europe’s support packages, CONCORD Europe agrees that the EU must

play a role in coordinating the EU and Member States’ collective response (at EU level and

through the EU Delegations). However, a top-down approach should be avoided as it may

result in deteriorating trust between the EU and its partners. It is imperative that the EU -

through its Delegations - considers local contexts. To this end, targeted consultations with a

variety of stakeholders, including local civil society organisations, are key to ensure that the

crisis response is locally owned and appropriate.

CONCORD Europe is concerned that the Communication foresees a limited role for civil

society in implementing these measures, even though local NGOs are often well-positioned

to support government efforts. The EU must promote enabling frameworks for civil society

organisations to complement governments’ efforts and to hold their institutions and

authorities to account. Women-led local responses should be prioritised.

CONCORD Europe regrets that insufficient attention is given to concrete measures that

could support women and girls in this crisis, and to acknowledge their important role in the

emergency response. The Communication insufficiently addresses the rise in sexual and

gender-based violence, and the need for greater access to sexual and reproductive health

and rights.

CONCORD Europe urges the EU to focus on developing a common strategy to make stronger

linkages and ensure policy coherence between the various levels and spheres of action,

starting by bringing together and scaling up the external response. With COVID-19 afflicting

all of us, the 2030 Agenda must guide us through a just recovery, towards a healthy and

equitable future for all. The absence of policy coherence for sustainable development

(PCSD) is a significant threat to the successful implementation of the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs). PCSD must be used as a key framework to address policy

challenges caused by COVID-19. All EU internal and external policies should be aligned with

SDGs across all sectoral policies and programmes.

Lastly, the EU must ensure that all measures taken to control the pandemic (in Europe and

in countries receiving EU support) are fully in line with democratic principles and the

protection of all human rights, the rule of law and civic space.